WHY GOOD MENTAL HEALTH AND TRAVELLING ARE THE PERFECT PAIR

A little while ago, I was asked to put together a piece for my (then) company magazine on travelling and what it means to me. While I wrote the small article, it was Mental Health Awareness week in the UK, a cause close to my heart. I decided to combine both my travel and the awareness week together and came up with this. I have now left the company and some of the people in charge of the article are fans of my blog so I have decided to share it here (and I am sure they wont mind!). I have also combined the pictures from when I had saved up and went over to Thailand and felt the most relaxed than ever before in my life! at the Mooban Talay Resort. I hope you enjoy.

As I write this, it is now Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK. A cause I am very passionate about and something we should all take part in. Not only for us but the friends, family and co-workers you surround yourself with. A topic that is important to acknowledge, embrace and be non-judgemental about. So where does travel fit in to this article? More importantly, where do you and I fit in? Well travel for me is what a calm sea is to a sailor, important, relaxing and well…enjoyable.

Travel is something I do outside of work, where ever I can, however I can. I usually take trips from Friday afternoon after work and return home Sunday afternoon. A trip that helps me completely wind down from work but also, leaving me enough time on the Sunday afternoon to veg out completely and prepare for the week ahead (read: catch up on Netflix).

I hope you took interest in that sentence above because it’s really important. You need to wind down from work. However you do that is down to you, but it is very important that you do. My go to is travel so let’s focus on that today.

So, I want you to remember that feeling that you have when you know your holiday is looming on the horizon. You are heading to a new place in the world, sunshine is calling you (because let’s face it, England is COLD.) and Saturday is a whole new day of new cultures, food and architecture. You can’t quite believe it but you’re eating dinner outside and it’s not raining?! Ok, so imagine that is happening this Friday. Just a short little burst at the end of the week, something to give your weekend a little bit of sparkle, something to make you exhale after a really really long week.

Sound good? I’ve put together 5 tips below on how you can achieve this. Some are little reminders. You don’t always need to save big to save money.

1. Put money aside after every pay day. “Put it away for a rainy day” has never been more relevant (And stop buying £4 sandwiches at Pret for Lunch! You have bread at home!!)
2. Look online in advance for cheaper flights. If time allows, check regularly. Flights are more expensive after pay day as opposed to the middle of the month.
3. Does it have to be a hotel? Airbnb and Camping could be something to think about!
4. A babysitter. Could friends or family help you with this for the weekend? Communication is key here (and going back to mental health) failing this, bring them with you. (*Disclaimer* This may not be as relaxing as that calm sea I was talking about up there but still just as important!)